Q I own a co-op in Mount Vernon, New York. I was unable to sell the co-op so the board approved a sub-lease. The maintenance was in arrears by one month plus the current month. I was sent a letter by an attorney to pay the arrears plus t…
Q We are having a major problem with our board president and vice-president. We have a seven member board, in which one of the directors has asked to see a list of bills paid to date and other board inquires. He was told that he is not …
Everybody sometimes disagrees with the decisions of their co-op, condo or homeowners association board. Maybe the choice to rearrange the garbage receptacles out front seems ridiculous, or the ongoing clattering of machinery on the roo…
Physically, there’s really no difference between co-ops and condos. The savviest property manager in the five boroughs could not walk into a lobby and say for certain if it’s one or the other. When co-ops are converted to condos, or vice…
Launching a successful business requires talent, the commitment of many people, dedication and of course, a clear cut plan and strategy. Just like launching a business, a co-op or condo needs this kind of support when it makes the tran…
It's almost a mantra: the more you know, the better off you are—certainly when it comes to doing the job of a cooperative, condominium or HOA board member. No matter how enthused and engaged a new board appointee may be, they don't come…
Q My wife and I own the shares for our co-op apartment jointly. We wish to establish a revocable living trust for our assets and the apartment. Our co-op board is unwilling to make the transfer to the trust. How can we convince the boar…
Many regular readers of The Cooperator doubtless remember the struggle that ensued in the spring of 2011 when co-op officers and elected officials in Eastern Queens declared a “tax revolt” against the city for huge increases in assessed…
In the best of circumstances, qualifying an applicant for a co-op or condominium purchase can be a challenging process. Market conditions play a part in a board's consideration of applicants, and recent fluctuations have changed the wa…
Q I serve on the board of a Brooklyn co-op which is only 52 percent shareholder owned. Shareholders now have the simple majority on the board. Our sponsor owns the management company (which is non-responsive), has a relationship with ou…